The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
WAG on murphyonic effect
DonBugen:
I've always had my own WAG theory in regards to the source of this current side-effect of magic; the murphionic field that Dresden generates. It has everything to do with perception and belief. Technology doesn't foul up just because it's tech; it fouls up because technology is another permutation of magic, a manipulation of the elements of electricity and fire and earth, made specifically in order to achieve a particular end willed by man. When a practitioner asserts their will in doing magic, they disrupt the already-running enchantment of technology.
Why is older tech safe, and new tech suspect? It has to do with the belief of the populace. Tech made before WWII is probably fine because almost everyone has lived all their life with it and doesn't think it's anything special. Tech made in the past 30 years gets more complicated as many people don't understand it, and tech within the past 10 years must still seem magical to many. We don't understand exactly HOW our smart bluetooth drone-connected phone works, but it does and we love it.
Faerie magic doesn't create the field because the fae don't have free will; whatever they do, they've found a way to make it work within the current running paradigm of reality. But the sloppy, forceful, willful magic of a wizard will push aside this collective tech-magic held together by the belief of mankind in order to make their will be done.
At least, that's my WAG.
uncanny:
--- Quote from: Mira on August 08, 2017, 01:38:34 PM ---
So is Bob a non magical being? Now that he is with Butters he seems to have access to the internet.
--- End quote ---
Bob isn't mortal, so his magic isn't conflicted. We see also how the Sidhe have no issue with technology as well, since they're not mortal and not conflicted about their magic use.
--- Quote from: DonBugen on August 08, 2017, 02:22:37 PM ---Why is older tech safe, and new tech suspect? It has to do with the belief of the populace. Tech made before WWII is probably fine because almost everyone has lived all their life with it and doesn't think it's anything special. Tech made in the past 30 years gets more complicated as many people don't understand it, and tech within the past 10 years must still seem magical to many. We don't understand exactly HOW our smart bluetooth drone-connected phone works, but it does and we love it.
--- End quote ---
The only thing that comes to my mind, like what's actually changed, is that we are in the age of the transistor since roughly post-WW2. Cars for instance, prior to WW2 "ish" we were more in the mechanical age - cars were based on purely mechanical actions. Newer cars have technology enhancements such as electrically calibrated injection, electrically monitored fluids, etc.
jonas:
Weeelll, since this was never commented on directly and I don't really feel like making another mock up of it all,
--- Quote from: jonas on July 21, 2017, 05:41:20 AM ---Wizards effect technology because they are conflicted. that confliction this is what causes machines to break down. Said effect is actually wizards effecting probability, the randomness of luck.
It's contained to machines as even top wizards don't usually put off enough magical aura to do what say, meeting with mother winter would do, but the transfer can happen. Also because they are 'spirit callers' not necessarily of previously living beings but the spirits of the elements themselves, like in GS the ghosts can effect the van but not people. they aren't supposed to, and without manifesting(whih is bad juju) they can't. Wizards can effect people and obects inside others aura's because wizards are mortal, they possess the free will to do so.(technically, ghost can screw with the nautral order too, but notice if either a wizard or ghost do so they tend to go kooky for cosmic reasons)
Now notice when said conflict or belief of conflict fails to come into play, is when they aren't conflicted! guns pointed at Dresden misfire all the time. Dresden himself enjoys blowing out technology, that's prime reason why anything around him would go bonkers, deep down he wants it somewhere. Notice now that NEVER not once has Harry's gun ever misfired? He doesn't want it to! it's very clear cut to me but I might not have explained well enough. however I take great offence to the statement no single theory can explain it, mine can... if only I could explain it lol. Oh, and yea... that's totally an underestimation of jims ability to say they're that way to make the story work. of course they're there to make the story work. But not as silly plot devices that go one way or another depending on what makes the current story. the over arcing story.
I use this connection between magic and random luck to make my own connection between the 3rd fate, the chooser, Nemesis who meets out punishment and literal fortuna, luck. it's all the same thing. Before she was ousted she controlled magic to decide the fate of everything as much as MW destroys and MS is the source of creation.
*Notice milk stopped spoiling and skin conditions desisted as part of the magical effect, right around when people started to learn more about the world and contributing those things to reality based effects instead of bad luck or 'little demons', Ahhh think about it, milk was left out to ward away bad luck! It twas the focus to to be used against it, a talisman if you were. An what happened because of it? Random 'badluck' from wizarding aura's began to accumulate in milk causing it to spoil!
--- End quote ---
Now if anyone wishes to discuss this or demand I expound more upon it, shoot now or forever keep your finger off the trigger :)
And for posterity Murphy's name (click to show/hide)Might be a joke on the fact her 'starborn' or simply her character blueprint is based upon 'the chooser'. The same kernel that Gard's based on as the chooser of the slain and Nemesis/Lachesis as The chooser of fate. It's similar to how Harry is in the same vein as Odin, GK, Merlin, Nico, ect. So Murphy is named after the murphyonic effect of wizards effecting statistical fate*any other examples of how wizards effected things in the past so I can research them too? because so far 'luck' plays a significant belief in their causality.
Mira:
--- Quote ---Why is older tech safe, and new tech suspect? It has to do with the belief of the populace. Tech made before WWII is probably fine because almost everyone has lived all their life with it and doesn't think it's anything special. Tech made in the past 30 years gets more complicated as many people don't understand it, and tech within the past 10 years must still seem magical to many. We don't understand exactly HOW our smart bluetooth drone-connected phone works, but it does and we love it.
--- End quote ---
That has been true for over a hundred years, the average person cannot explain how or why their telephone, television, radio or cars works.. No, most don't believe they are run by magic, but as far as their understanding, they just as well be.
So I don't think technology being complicated has much to do with it. Harry could ride with Billy in his new SUV, but when he started to drive it all kinds of crap hits the fan.. So I really doubt it is about perception.
--- Quote ---Faerie magic doesn't create the field because the fae don't have free will; whatever they do, they've found a way to make it work within the current running paradigm of reality. But the sloppy, forceful, willful magic of a wizard will push aside this collective tech-magic held together by the belief of mankind in order to make their will be done.
--- End quote ---
I doubt that free will has anything to do with it, because when technology is disrupted by a wizard, it just happens, it isn't because they are willingly putting the technical gadget on hold or blowing it up so they can work their magic. Just the opposite, there are lines in the series where Harry has talked about avoiding the E.R. and hospitals in general because him being a wizard might blow up the machines vital to keep people alive. 1] If Harry had a whole lot of control over it, he would dampen it.. 2] It seems to just happen... Again, another inconsistency, cell phones, there are plenty in use around Harry and other wizards, they should all blow up, they don't.... Or are wizards the blame for dropped calls? ::)
--- Quote ---The only thing that comes to my mind, like what's actually changed, is that we are in the age of the transistor since roughly post-WW2. Cars for instance, prior to WW2 "ish" we were more in the mechanical age - cars were based on purely mechanical actions. Newer cars have technology enhancements such as electrically calibrated injection, electrically monitored fluids, etc.
--- End quote ---
Still all new technology. Wizards existed thousands of years before the advent of any twentieth century technology, so there shouldn't be any difference pre WWII or post.. Cars preWWII still need batteries, which supply an electric spark for cars to work... Now I could buy the argument that magic interferes with the flow of electrons, thus screws up most modern gadgets, but again even the pre WWII gadgets depend on electron flow.. My WAG is when Jim first wrote about this it seemed like a cool idea, but logic makes it a very hard concept to sustain.
jonas:
--- Quote ---My WAG is when Jim first wrote about this it seemed like a cool idea, but logic makes it a very hard concept to sustain.
--- End quote ---
Hate when people think that, it's giving up when there's so much more to be had. Can you break down a list of what precisely you'd need for me to convince you my idea works?
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